Differential mechanism



' Dec. 14,1926. 11,108.

H. L. DOUVE DIFFERENTIAL MECHANI SM Filed Nov. 192 2 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jw a J3 24 36 A9 38 A A? 24/ 24 f v INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY Dec.14,1926.

H. 1.. DOUVE DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 5,1922 mvsu'ron ATTORNEY WITNESSE Dec. 14, 1926'. 1,611,108

H. L. DOUVE H DIFFERENTIAL MECHANI SM Fil-ed Nov 5, 1922 4 Sheets Sheet4 wrmsssr; "TmRNEY wardmovemem of theZwhe'el.

Petented Dee. 14, 19 26.

" JHERMAN .L. ZDOUSZE, on DAIW ILLE, ILLmoIs.

D F ER NTI m x- .4mm

Application filei-vliove nher 3,1922. Serial No. 59 8, 836

This invention relatesto motor operated vehicles, and has particular"application 'to a differential flneohjahism therefor, a positive,twoewheel' drive provided, and

the power equally transmitted "to both wheels under all conditions,uthusr 'eliminat when the following detailed .fc le s c ription is sread in connection w'ith'the aeooinpenying drawings;'the invention i esicli ngiin. the eon- I st rnction, combination "and arrangement of partsas claimed.

r In the clrawlngs forming part oi the application, the like numerals ofreference 1nclieate similar paints the'severstl Views, and I V drive,end to equalize the tllstrlbut oinof wherein 7 through Ia 'i wheelshowing the differential .meeh'anis'ln in the hub thereof, an clthep'ayts in the. positions occiipiecl inoident to the for- I Figure "2is a siinileriview showing the 7 position of the partsinoident to therearward movement ofthe wheel.

' Figiire 3 is a sectionalw iew taken on line 31-9301 F igure'ZQ FigureV5'i's aplan View of the eooperating' elevation of the end elet'ationoff the sleeve ferrangecl within the hub; fend sni ion nding .f

' the "driving shaft. 1 Figure S i'sesi .I'iecl Ethe. with the sleeve.

[Figu're 9: 1 1a tletail-i' v iew of one the I V cooperate with theteeth 27 of it cap 28 T he 5 supporting elemen s (for the floating lflllg.

Figure .tion.

wherein "Figure, 1118 a Vertieel sectionalviewj J Figiii'e tis a,sectional view ta'ken on :line

driving shaft "and cjooperating fTh'e outei v10v is{ aLfr'agnienteryelvetion of Y the. we n1 element jem-hiochecl nfth'e'nifen-i ranged anel'secul ecl to the member 10: by means oftheholtsjorother suitable fasten-V ingj elements indicated at 12. The member 10haszils'o associated 'therewith e hnhcap 13. The wheel" is in the natureof a. c1'isk which is indieetedfet 1%,; and is clamped betw'e'e'nthemember' 10" of the hub and the 'brake drum 155s clearly illnstr'eted inFigvuvrel, The disk is provideclwith a pin- "onniferentiaHy disposedseries of openings "16 which r'e'oeive theproject-ions 17 carried 7'bythe memh'er 10 of thehnb. The hub in its 'enti1 ety houses thedifferential mecha- 'nism' forming the siibjeot matter 1 of the presentinvention, it being understood that one mechanism is arrangedin thehnloot each of the tteetion wheels of theinotor opefate cl vheieley (notH shown), the said tinction wheels heingnssooiated by aone-piece axle 18positioned; within the usual axle housingindioate'ch t 19."Thisniechanism Will-he here 'nzfftef' fully .cles'eribed, it being Tteiti ogs' @Referringhto the drawings in detail, A inclieatesgenerallythe hub of the wheeh which inohidesthefmember 10 and the' jop' positely'disposed stimuli '11 which ere airthe purpose"oi thejllneohenism; asfaho've poir ltecl out to provide-e positiize two wheel the, power toboth wheels unden'all'eonclt' v In other WOTdQ thG "invention the wheelthe least resistance; end

ion (the contrary '-'tl'i's't1'"ihi1tes such I powef to V 'both whe'elsfso that theiattelf are positively driven. j

The 'difierential nieehanisni embodies a sleeve 21 whi'oh' is arrangedin' sp'ece cl' qon- .cntiirelntion to the axle housing 19. The portion22 of'this sleeve is octagonal, while the'retluoecl, portionfinclicateclat '23 is of hy- *linclrial foi'mationnn'd embraced by the mem 'bei 106f thehub; The sleeve QI'iS SU poiftecl by oller" beai ingsQ l which arefixed uponthenxlehonsinght spaced points and reo eii ed by cone-shapedinenihers 25' which areoar'rieclon the interior of the -sleeve 21.

end ofthis sleeve-{isprovided with feren'tiel series 'of teeth 26, whiehcap 28 is provided with a' squared opening '29. to acconirnodate' thesqneretl portidn 30" V i theth ivingf 18 ,-'a;ncl lSihQlCli asses elatedtherewith by means of a nut 31 threaded upon the threaded extremity 32This cap s provided witn' 'an annular flange 33 whichbears against ofsaid shaft.

the adjacent roller bearings 24, so that when the cap is adjustedlongitudinally of the shaft, the bearings and said sleeve are moved oradjusted in the same direction.

Mounted uponthe octagonal shaped portion 22 of the sleeve, is a ring 34or annulus, which of course turns with this sleeve, and this ring inpart'assists in supporting the floating ring utilized to automaticallyshift certain parts of the mechanism to change the direction .ofrotation of the traction wheels, in a manner to be hereinafter dethering 34 and are arranged at dianietrically opposite points about thisring as clearly illustrated in F lgure 4. Pro ecting from the innerperiphery of the floating ring is an annular series of-pins 39, each ofwhich supports a tapered roller 40. These rollers cooperate "with a wormgear 41 fixed upon the axle housing 19, which will control the automaticshifting of the elements above referred to. The rods 38 project fromboth sides of the ring 34, and surrounding the projected portions ofthese rods are coiled springs 42 and 43v respectively. These springs arealternately compressed and function to hold the floating ring 35 on oneor the other sidevof the worm gear 41.

Upon inspection of Figure 5, it will be noted that the ring '34 isarranged between the spaced rings or annuli 44and 45 respectively, andadapted to be moved into inter locking relation with either one or theother of the spaced rings, depending of course upon the particulardirection of rotation of the wheels.

For this purpose, the ring 34 is provided with teeth 46 at oppositesides thereof, the teeth on one side being reversely disposed withrespect to the teeth at the opposite side of the'ring for a purpose tobe presently described. The. ring 44' is provided with teeth 47 adaptedto cooperate 'with'the teeth on the adjacent side of the ring 34, whilethe ring 45 is provided with teeth 48 adapted to cooperate with theteeth on the adjacent side of the intermediate ring 34. r

As above pointed out, the ring 34 is mount ed for rotation with thesleeve 21, but is also susceptible of sliding movement longitudinally ofthe sleeve, in order to bring it into interlocking association witheither of the rings 44 and 45. The latter mentioned rings are howeverfixed to the hub of the wheel, and when the ring 34 is interlocked withthe ring 44, the wheels rotate in. a forward within the annular shapedmembers in cross section. indicated at 11 and which form a part of thehub proper.- V

It will also be pointed out, thatthe rings 44 and 45 are mounted upondriven j ournals 50 which rotate with the sleeve 21. Thesejournals have,ball bearings or the like at 51 to minimize friction. The. bearings 51')provided with openings 52 which'aline with bores 53, thereby making'itpossible to lock the rings 44 and 45 to the bearings, by means of asuitable locking pin or key, in event that this particular portion ofthe mechanisinbecomes impaired for any reason whatsoever. 1 V

The mechanism forming the subject matter of the invention operates asfollows:

When the traction wheels are to be moved As shown in a forwarddirection, the component parts intermediate ring 34 has its teeth at oneside thereof meshing with the teeth 47 of the ring 44, with the floatingring 35 to the left of the worm gear 41. I

It .will be further noted that the rollers 40 carried by the floatingring 35 are also slightly spaced from one side of the worm gear 41, andthat the springs 42 associated with the sliding rods 38 are compressed.WVhile'these springs 42 are under compression, and tend to shift therods 38 together with the floating ring 35 in the'direction of the wormgear, this is obviated by reason of the angularity of'the teeth 46 ofthe intermediate 'ing, and the angularity of the teeth 47. of the ring44 which is now interlocked with the intermediate ring. as the wheelscontinue to rotate in a forward direction, the angularity of the 'teethas above described, moves the intermediate ring the rotation of thedriving shaft 18, but a differential action of either wheel is permittedas the occasion requires. This is per- ,mitted, by reason of theangularity of the teeth on the'various rings above referred to, whichallows the ring associated with the particular wheelto be accelerated,to ratchet over the intermediate ring 34. In turning a curve, the innerwheel cannot rotate any.

faster than the degree of rotation. of the lid) in other words.

axle or driving shaft l8, nor. can the dif-' ferential mechanism in theouter wheel rotate any faster. Consequently, the necessary accelerat ionof the outer wheel, required 1n turning thecurve, causes theintermediate ring 34 to be moved in a direction of the worm gear 41, butagainst the tension of thesprings 43, these springs eliminating thedegree of movement of the intermediate ring in the direction just"mentioned. However, the ring is moved the requisite distance .to allowthe outer wheel together with the ring 44 to ratchet over'the teeth 46of the intermediate ring.

. axle or driving shaft 18, to the cap 28, which scope of what isclaimed. 1

- latter,

imparts motion to the sleeve 21 and the intermediate ring 34. The teethon the worm the teeth at one side of this wheel'which w meshes with theteeth 47 on the ring 44,

forces the intermediate ring in the direction of the worm gear 41. Now,the angularity of the teeth of the gear 41, allows the rollers 40 topass therebetween, and in this manner the floating ring is shifted tothe opposite side of the Worm gear. Incident to this movement of parts,t he springs 43 are compressed, and the springs 42 relieved of theirtension. It is manifest however, that under no circumstances, can onewheel spin in advance of the other, when the latter mentioned wheel isretarded in its movement by becoming stuck in the mud or for any otherreason, inasmuch as the power is equally transmitted to bothwheels,thereby providing a two wheel drive. H 1

lVhile it is believed that from the foregoing description, the natureand advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire tohave itunderstood that I do not limit myself to what is herein shownand,

described, and that such-changes may be resorted to when desired as-fall within the Having described the invention what is claimed is: I I

1. A clutch mechanism including a driving element, spaced annuliencircling the an intermediate annulus, means whereby said annulus isallowed interlocking r engagement with either of said annuli,

means for shifting said annulus in either direction, and including afioatlng ring, a

plurality of inwardly directed radially It is of course obvious that thepower transmitted to either wheel is through the mounted rollers carriedthereby, a fixed ele ment having diagonally arranged slots thereinthrough which the rollers'pass upon rota-v tionof'the driving element ineither dlrec tion, such movement disengaging the intermediate annulusfrom one spaced annulus and engaging the intermediate annulus with theother spaced annulus, and resilient meansnormally urging the floatingring to a posi- V tion to either side of the fixed element. I

2. A clutch mechanism including a driving element, spaced tooth annuliencircling the latter an, axially shiftablering arranged between saidannuli, a floating ring asso-' ciated therewith; cooperating elements,one of which is fixed andthe other carried by said fioatingring andnormally disposed at one side of the fixed element to'hold the floatingring in a position where the axially shiftable ring will engage one ofthe spaced annuli, and said fixed element having parallel groovestherein for the passage of the ele ment carried by the floating ringupon rota- Sll tion of the driving element in one direction.

3. In a clutch mechanism including a shaft, a driving element, spacedannuli en,-

circling the latter, an intermediate annulus mounted forshdlng movementbetween said the opposite sides of the intermediate annulus andcooperating with said annuli, where by the intermediate annulus is movedinto a or out of locking relation with eitherof said spaced annuli,depending onthe direction of rotation of said shaft, means for shiftingsaid intermediate annulus, and including a floating ring,;.slidable rodshaving their ends slidably associated with said spaced annuli, andfingers carried thereby for interlocking engagement with said floatingring, v c i 4. A. clutch mechanism including a shaft,

a driving element, spaced annuli encircling the latter, eachchavingangularly disposed teeth at one side thereof, an intermediate annulusmounted for sliding movement between said spaced annuli' reverselydisposed inclined teeth at the opposite sides of said intermediateannulus for interlocking relation withthe' teeth of either of saidspaced annuli, the teeth ,ofthe respective spaced annuli o-peratingtomove the intermediate 'annuli, reversely disposed teeth arranged atannulus in one or the other direction depending upon the direction ofrotation of said shaft," means controlling the movements of saidintermediate annulus and including a fixed worm gear, a floating ringassociated with said intermediate annulus, and rollers carried by saidring and adapted to pass between the teeth "of said gear from oneside tothe other thereof when the shaft is rotated in one direction.

' In testimony whereof I s'ignature,

' HERMAN L. DOUVE.

